***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 8 - LIVE THREAD***

Various | 3/27/2003 | Me

[Centurion2000]

Good Morning.

This is the Daily Thread of Operation Iraqi Freedom - LIVE THREAD.

It is designed for general conversation about the events of the day. In depth discussion of events should be left to individual threads - but links to the threads or other articles is highly encouraged. This allows us to stay abreast of the situation in general, while also providing a means of obtaining specific information.

Please have mercy on us dial up limited FReepers! Limit the big graphics, post links instead. A breif description of what the graphic is would help:

Special thanks to null and void for keeping these running over the weekend and Monday, to all of you for keeping these threads alive, the AdminMods for their tolerance, mhking for the video links, and, of course, Belly Girl...

[BulletBobCo]

Blix still looking for a job.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

FN: Christian Jacks w/ the Navy SEABEES: "Resupplying the front lines....new bridges and roads being built by SeaBees...hundreds of vehicles waiting carrying food, fuel to go north....Navy SeaBees engineering group....sandstorms closed things down for 48 hours...today's clear...everyone's at work...helicopters seen passing overhead, including Medivacs.

[merrin]

From Bay News 9:

"The U.S. military Thursday began airlifting troops, tanks and equipment for the U.S. Army's 1st Infantry Division into northern Iraq after about 1,000 paratroopers secured a key airfield in the country's Kurdish-controlled zone."

[Miss Marple]

Sorry I have been absent. My husband accidentally let our very large coonhound out and I have been trying to catch her. Now that I have done so, I will go back through the thread and reply to anyone who had a question or comment to me.

[The Wizard]

"Quick" is three weeks to a month

[mhking]

Blix still looking for a job.

Someone should tell him to look on Monster.com...

[retrokitten]

Yahoo just put up some super cool pictures so get ready for some links!

An S-3B Viking assigned to the 'Dragonfires' of Sea Control Squadron Twenty-Nine (VS-29) flies over the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South Pacific Ocean March 26, 2003.

[The Wizard]

such dedication...

[Solson]

So...it's been a crazy morning and I'm just getting caught up...The morning summary as I see it...please correct where wrong

1. Press still upset we haven't defeated the Iraqi regime in one week.
Press hates idea of Bush/Blair not doing this for political gains
Press still looking for proof of American soldiers purposely killing innocents gleefully
Rumsfeld and Centcom continue slapdown of stupid reporter questions
Bombing of Baghdad continues
Despite reports to the contrary(read hysterical whiny media) we are approx. 50 miles from outskirts of Baghdad and we continue to kill bad guys.
The weather has cleared and our planes are back in play

Anything else?

[Merdoug]

If this war is going to take a month or more to win, I wonder why we were in such a hurry to get to Bagdad? I guess we'll know once this war is over with and our miltary can disclose our plans.

[retrokitten]

Army M1-A1 tank at sunset near Karbala...link to pic

[CWW]

I respect McCaffrey. His opinion is based on his years of combat experience under Republican and Democrat commanders. The essential point that he makes, and that every general would make, is that it sure would be nice in a perfect world to have another division, particularly an armored cav division to protect supply lines.

[BulletBobCo]

Does anyone think that disinformation is still being played to our advantage?

[Carolina]

Anything else?

You forgot NYC's new speed bumps were unveiled today! ;)

[ken5050]

OK...why did he let the coonhound out?....(g)

[retrokitten]

That about covers it!

"A soldier with A Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry Regiment, part of the 3rd Infantry Division, walks through the desert near Karbala in central Iraq ..." Link to pic

The embedded reporters and photographers are just doing an incredible job. The reports and pictures we are getting back are really amazing.

[Consort]

"Quick" is three weeks to a month

It could be quicker or even quickerer. The quickerest, the better.

[Carolina]

Cool pics, retrokitten! Thanks.

[Wphile]

I agree with your assessment about the media, the punditry, the administration, and the expectations.

Expectations will ebb and flow and they surely were flowing after the initial strike. Many were predicting a short war, the DOD was spouting "the regime is history" and "sadaam hussein is losing control of his country." It appeared that the war was going very smoothly at the outset. Now reality has come crashing in as it is obvious that Sadaam's regime is not going to crack without putting up a fight.

The media has to make it negative no matter what so they have grapped onto the "you said it was going to be short" mantra. I, too, hate to defend the media but I too think the DOD and CentCom fueled the "this is going to be quick" fire with their early assessments following the initial strike.

[retrokitten]

Several tanks move across the desert at sunset.